Somewhere, Over the Rainbow
by thisislandgirl
Summary: Prompt #8: Unconscious for 10 hurt comfort:  After everything, this was not how Steve McGarrett thought it would end.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE: **Somewhere, Over the Rainbow

**FANDOM: **Hawaii 5-0

**CHARACTERS: **Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono

**RATING:** R

**WARNING: **language, hurt!Steve, iffy medical knowledge, could be interpreted as Steve/Danny pre-slash

**DISCLAIMER:** I own no rights to the show or the characters. I also do not have a medical degree so some descriptions and accounts may not be entirely factual. I do not own the rights to the lyrics used in this work. This is a work of fiction and is not intended for anything other than entertainment purposes.

**WORD COUNT:** 8,400+ (total); 4,082 for part one

**PROMPT: **#8-Unconscious for the Injuries Prompt Table for 10_hurt_comfort

**SUMMARY: **_After everything, this was not how Steve McGarrett thought it would end._

* * *

><p>After everything, this was not how Steve thought it would end. Bleeding out from a gunshot wound in the middle of the jungle? Yeah, it was likely. Tortured to death in some dark cave in the middle of the desert? Definitely a possibility. But his life slowly draining out of him while an unknown poison tore its way through his body as he lay on the strip of beach outside his childhood home? That never made the list.<p>

He'd only decided to burn off some energy and post-case aggression with a later afternoon swim. Long, powerful strokes cut through the water as he swam toward the horizon, until his house was barely visible, and then returned again toward shore. Back and forth he went, never resting, until he was too exhausted for another lap. He was slowly trudging his way through the shallows, muscles loose with fatigue, when a person broke through the vegetation in the yard, flying right for him. Steve had been so relaxed, mind so peaceful and quiet, he'd never sensed the danger until it was coming at him. His training had kicked in, allowing his body to move out of the direct path of the attacker before his mind could comprehend it all.

Though he'd moved, his assailant still hit him knocking them both back into the water. It was only a foot or so deep where he'd landed, so Steve had no problem rolling out of the breaking waves onto the sand. He recovered first, allowing himself a split second to eye up his assailant. Female, Asian, light complexion, dark hair in a ponytail, slender build, average height, clothed in all black, a tattoo winding its way up the side of her neck. Before he could mentally catalog any more details, she was standing up in front of him grinning from ear to ear. She had both of her arms out at her sides, hands clenched, as she lunged at him again, both of her fist flying at him. Her attacks were wild, coming at him from both sides with aggression, but Steve managed to duck, dodging her second round of assaults. He struck out at her, one his landing to her ribs but hissed when she grabbed at his arm, something piercing his bicep.

Looking down, Steve saw the syringe in her hand and lashed out with his free hand, grabbing her wrist and twisting it hard. The needle broke off in her hand before all the liquid could be dispensed, but none of it seemed to faze her. She tried to slip out of his grip but Steve bent her wrist more, hearing a distinct snap before her knees gave out, her face twisting up in pain. Steve's fist caught her hard across the left cheek knocking her into the sand.

He staggered back a step, his heart beating wildly in his chest, nausea curling in his belly as adrenaline rushed through his system. Shaking his head once, Steve fought to focus on the his next step. He needed to call for back up to secure the house and the scene. He needed to call the team and have them book the girl. He needed to get to a hospital and find out what she tried to inject him with. It wouldn't be that hard, especially with his attacker knocked out cold in the sand, but his legs were feeling funny suddenly. They felt rubbery and numb, like they wouldn't hold his weight much longer. Steve tried to move, tried to take those few steps to the house, but he stumbled and ended up face first in the sand, legs in a tangle.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and caught a glimpse of his attacker pushing herself up out of the sand and running down the beach without a backward glance, but that wasn't his main problem anymore. It was the growing feeling, or lack thereof, in his legs that was stealing all his attention. He couldn't move them. He tried to move his toes, his foot, his knee, but they weren't cooperating.

For the first time Steve was starting to grasp the seriousness of the situation he was in. His attacker may not have succeeded in dosing him with all the poison in the syringe but it was becoming quite clear that some had entered his bloodstream. And whatever it was, it was potent. Already he was feeling the effects and it was only minutes after being injected. He needed help. Now. Farther up the beach, about 15 yards or so, where the Adirondack chairs he normally kept in the sand. He'd moved them back this morning before high tide and had yet to move them back to their normal places closer to the water. And on one of those chairs sat his cell phone. If he could make it to those chairs, one call would be all it took to get what he needed.

With legs no longer working, Steve used his arms to try to crawl his way back up the beach, but he only made it a few feet before another effect made its presence known. He barely had a warning before he was vomiting into the sand in front of himself. His body shook with the force of the heaves, the nausea gripped his stomach hard and refused to abate. When the heaves finally slowed to a stop, Steve rested his head against his forearms, ignoring the mess, and gulped in a few breaths, trying to collect himself enough to move again.

Once he started moving, he planted his forearms in front of himself and pulled the rest of his body along. It wasn't easy and was tiring him out quickly, but he was moving and that was all that counted. He'd barely made it to the chairs back before his arms gave out leaving him face down in the sand, heaving and vomiting once again.

This time though, the muscles in his body seized up painfully before he started to convulse. His jaw clenched and his breath seized in his chest as his limbs jerked around in the sand. It lasted only a few seconds, but when it stopped Steve was completely exhausted. He didn't think his body would make it any further no matter how much his mind screamed to keep moving. It was getting harder to draw in the next breath and already his fingers were slow to cooperate. Whatever he was dosed with, it was working fast, slowing his body down though he'd yet to lose consciousness.

With one last effort, Steve hauled his body the last foot to the chair and clawed his way up until his upper body was resting against the chair. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, more from the drug than any physical exertion, as he leaned his head back. He needed to stay focused. His phone was only an arm's length away, resting on his folded up towel lying in the other chair. He just needed to reach out and grab it and then help would be on the way. His right arm was now dead weight and his left was well on its way, the band across his chest tightened with each shallow gulp of air he choked on. Just grab the phone, he told himself, just grab it. But as he reached out for it, his body locked up in another seizure.

* * *

><p>Pulling into the driveway, Danny was so caught up in his own thoughts that it took him a moment to realize that there were no lights on in the McGarrett house. It didn't mean trouble, exactly, but was a bit out of the normal for Steve. There was always a light on somewhere in the house whether it was in the kitchen or the office or on the back porch. Danny cast a look around. Steve's truck was in the driveway and nothing appeared to be disturbed around the front part of the house so he shrugged and got out of the car.<p>

He was just pulling the pizza from the passenger seat when he caught a glimpse of Kono's car pulling into the drive, Chin occupying the passenger seat. Danny waved to them as he juggled the boxes and made his way to the front door. Out of courtesy, he knocked once before fumbling with the knob and letting himself in.

The inside of the house was darkening with shadows as the sunset and it took his eyes a minute to adjust as he made his way through the house.

"Steve!" Danny called out, alerting his partner to their presence. "What, you forget to pay the light bill again, babe? What's with all the lights out?"

Danny's only answer was silence broken by Kono hissing out a curse as they bumbled through the maze of furniture and Chin's quiet chuckle. Smirking to himself, Danny dropped the food on the counter and flicked on the kitchen light, casting another glance around. Kono emerged a moment later with a grocery bag followed by Chin carrying a case of Longboards.

"Where's the boss?" Chin asked, completely ignoring Kono's grumbled retort.

"I don't know," Danny replied, honestly confused. "Steve!" he called out again. Silence. "Steven!" He called louder. No reply of any kind. "Chin, check upstairs. I'll take the back."

Danny watched as Chin moved off towards the stairs, this time turning on lights as he passed them before he moved to the back door. He opened the sliding door letting the warm breeze filter in the sound of the waves breaking. The light outside was dim by now, the sun casting everything in fading orange, so Danny turned on the porch light and stepped out onto the lanai. Once his eyes adjusted, he could make out the outline of his partner sitting on the beach.

"What the hell, Steve? Didn't you hear us calling you?" Danny called out. Shaking his head, he motioned to Kono that he'd found Steve and started out towards his partner. "Steve?" he tried again when he realized he'd yet to hear anything from the man in question.

As he got closer, a sinking feeling crept into Danny's stomach. Something wasn't right. Steve looked uncomfortable with only his shoulders and head leaned awkwardly against one of the chairs, and his limbs spread akimbo in the sand. That's when he saw that Steve's entire body was rigid, his limbs jerking sporadically. And Steve's face … he looked terrified.

"Oh my god, Steve," Danny whispered as he dropped to his knees next to his partner. "Chin, Kono!" he cried out as his hands hovered over Steve, not knowing where to touch or what to do, but needing to do something.

Steve's body relaxed then, looking like dead weight and Danny, if possible, was even more freaked.

"Steve, can you hear me?" Danny settled his hands on either side of Steve's face easing his head up just slightly so Danny could look into his eyes.

Steve blinked heavily for a moment, his breathing ragged and shallow. His lips started to move and Danny leaned down closer in time to catch one breathy word: "Help".

Danny's heart flipped in his chest, his panic renewed at his partner's one simple statement. He was about to call for Chin and Kono again when he heard them approaching. "We're here, buddy. We got ya, okay?" Danny looked straight into Steve's eyes as he spoke, trying his hardest to remain calm and keep his wits about him.

Before either of the cousins could start asking questions, Danny started barking out orders. "Chin, go grab some blankets from the house. Kono, go call an ambulance and HPD. Now!" Then without another glance at them, Danny turned his attention back to Steve.

It wasn't until now that he took in the full appearance of his partner. Steve was covered in a fine layer of sand, from head to toe it seemed, and there was what appeared to be vomit on his chin and chest. His breathing was shallow and irregular, he wasn't moving any part of his body, and there was a fine trickle of blood running down his right arm. It wasn't until he gently probed the wound that he saw the broken end of the needle sticking out of the skin.

"Someone drugged you," Danny whispered as realization dawned. "Shit!"

"Can't … move … Danny" Steve's words were slurred and breathy.

Even though there was panic creeping up his spine at the confession, Danny's first priority was keeping Steve awake and alive until the medics arrived. He had no idea what was substance was pumping through his partner's veins right now and no idea where to start. _Start with the basics_, Danny told himself. _Airway, breathing, circulation._

Danny rested his fingers on the pulse point on Steve's neck and counted out the slow irregular beats. Circulation, check. The way his Steve was laying, Danny was sure his airway was not stable and his breathing was rough, shallow breaths gasped in and wheezed out at uneven intervals. That was his place to start, Danny decided.

He slid his hands behind his partner's back and hauled his body up against his own. It took a fair bit of maneuvering before Danny had Steve's back leaning against his chest, Steve's head resting against Danny's shoulder to ease his breathing. Steve's body was limp as Danny moved him, showed no signs of responding or trying to move. The only thing Steve did was groan as his body was moved, the lines on his face creasing. Whether it was from pain or from something else, Danny couldn't tell.

"How're you doing? You hanging in there for me?" Danny looked down to where Steve's head was cradled in the crook of his shoulder. He read the exhaustion and fear in Steve's eyes and it instinctively tightened Danny's hold on his partner.

"Hard … to breath," Steve whispered as he tried to suck in another breath. "Can't stop … shaking."

Danny's thoughts were interrupted by Kono reappearing in front of them, phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her eyes drifted over Steve before they snapped back to Danny's face. He could see in her eyes the same overwhelming fear and panic he could feel in his own chest. She swallowed hard, before putting on a brave face.

"Notified HPD, they're sending out squad cars and a medic team. ETA is 10 minutes," she didn't take her eyes off Danny as she spoke, but then her gaze broke away and landed on Steve once again. Her face softened with worry as she knelt in the sand, one of her hands running lightly over Steve's arm. "How ya doing, boss?"

Steve didn't respond. His eyes widened the slightest bit before he made an awful choking sound deep in his throat. Danny and Kono both froze up at the sound, terrified, as Steve continued to choke and cough, his eyes moving around wildly, begging for help.

"Steve?" Danny eased both of their bodies forward, Steve's head rolled sickeningly on his neck as they moved. Steve's head came to a rest with his chin on his chest and the bile that had been choking him streamed from his mouth. He coughed wetly and tried desperately to draw in a breath.

"Oh god," Kono gasped.

Danny's thoughts were much the same but he didn't speak them aloud. Instead, he ran one hand over Steve's back, pounding lightly to help him clear his airway and kept up a whispered litany of "I'm sorry" and "its okay" and "Just breathe". Once Danny was sure Steve's airway was clear, he eased Steve's body back against his own, one hand resting over Steve's fluttering heart.

While Danny had been occupied, Chin had come out of the house and kneeled in the sand next to his cousin. Once Steve was settled against Danny, Chin picked up one of the blankets and draped it over Steve, tucking it in around his chilled body. Steve's eyes flickered open slowly, his eyes drifting over each of their faces before slipping closed again.

"Thank … you," Steve breathed out, but his eyes didn't open again.

"Hey! No sleeping," Danny whispered, gently jostling his partner's body. Steve grudgingly replied, opening his eyes again, though they stayed half-mast. Danny doubted Steve could open them more if he tried, whether it was an effect of the drug, exhaustion, or both, he didn't know.

"Tell … Mary-"

"Hey! None of that!" Danny said, tone sharp. "There will be no deathbed confession because this here," he gestured to the sand around them, "this is not a deathbed and you are not dying. Do you hear me, McGarrett? Youwill not die on me! Do you understand me?"

A tear leaked out of Steve's eye as he struggled to pull in another breath. His eyes stared up at Danny as he tried to speak. "Sorry … not my … choice."

"Steven! Stay awake!" Danny grunted as he hauled Steve up farther. He watched as Chin grabbed Steve's leg hard and gave it a good shake, Kono following suite with Steve's arm. Both of their plaintive voices calling out for Steve to fight, to keep his eyes open. "Stay with me, buddy. Come on. Just stay with me, Steven."

Steve wanted to stay awake. He tried to fight, it was his natural instinct, everything in his head screaming at him to move, to battle against the fatigue weighing his body down, but he just couldn't anymore. Every breath he struggled to draw in sapped more of his energy, sent knives of pain stabbing through his chest. It was too little air, required too much energy.

His gaze drifted lazily from Danny, out to the water where the last of the sun was sinking into the water. The water was ablaze with colors, the last of the sky a beautiful red, melting into the velvety black. There were thousands of stars shining brightly overhead and just like that, Steve could hear his mother's voice in his head. _Each and every star in the night sky is a piece of a soul left behind on earth as it rose to heaven, Steven. They watch over us, protect us, and guide us through the night._ He remembered that night, how he and his mother had sat in the sand and watched the stars for hours, his mother humming a lullaby under her breath as she held him in her arms.

Peace washed over his mind, even as his body seized again in Danny's arms. He was barely aware of his team's voices calling out for him, panicked and begging for him to stay awake. Danny's face moved into his vision and the naked fear he saw on his partner's face pulled Steve back to himself, the faint strains of his mother's voice drifting softly in the back of his mind. Steve coughed and gasped, his body rigid as he tried to draw in another breath. He tried to stay focused, to keep his eyes open, but his lungs were burning from lack of oxygen and blackness was creeping into the edges of his vision.

"T-tired," Steve panted. His eyes locked on Danny's, trying to convey all he felt even though he could feel himself slipping away. It was impossible to draw air in now, his lungs refused to inflate no matter how hard he tried to inhale. His mind was getting fuzzy, thoughts flitting in and out of his head, but the one constant was his mother's voice, growing louder and stronger as the rest of the world faded out.

"_When all the world is a hopeless jumble_  
><em>And the raindrops tumble all around,<em>  
><em>Heaven opens a magic lane.<em>  
><em>When all the clouds darken up the skyway,<em>  
><em>There's a rainbow highway to be found<em>  
><em>Leading from your window pane<em>  
><em>To a place behind the sun,<em>  
><em>Just a step beyond the rain"<em>

"Steve! Come on, focus. Look at me, Steve! Just hang in, helps almost here. Come on, stay with me." Danny was near frantic, watching as Steve's eyes grew listless, his focus drifting in and out, his life slipping away as his breaths grew more shallow and infrequent. He cursed whatever drug was incapacitating his partner, slowly killing him, he cursed the bastard who injected Steve, he cursed the medic team for taking so long to respond. Steve was dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it. Bands of fear squeezed around his heart, tears burned tracks down his face as he shook Steve again trying desperately to keep him alert, to keep him alive. When Steve's head rolled to face him again though, Danny's breath caught in his throat. Whereas Steve had looked completely terrified when they had found him, Steve now looked … strangely at peace. The lines of pain and strain on his face were smoothed out and his lips were upturned into a slight smile. Danny had never seen Steve look so tranquil and it scared him. Steve was giving up.

"No! Damn it, McGarrett!" he growled. He could feel the heart beat under his palm slowing, Steve's chest barely rising with each breath. "Do not give up! Do you hear me? Do not give up! Breathe, Steve! Please, just keep breathing!" His voice trailed off into a whispered plea as he pressed his face close to Steve's, whispering in his ear.

"M'sorry," Steve breathed out. He wanted to say more to Danny, wanted to tell him he was sorry for giving up, that he couldn't breathe anymore no matter how he tried, he wanted to tell him about his mother's voice and how it made everything all right. But he couldn't, he no longer had the energy. A heavy weight settled over his chest, the blackness completely overtaking his vision as the strains of his mother's voice rang in his ears.

"_Somewhere over the rainbow  
>Way up high,<br>There's a land that I heard of  
>Once in a lullaby.<br>Somewhere over the rainbow,  
>Skies are blue,<br>And the dreams that you dare to dream  
>Really do come true.<br>Someday I'll wish upon a star  
>And wake up where the clouds are far<br>Behind me.  
>Where troubles melt like lemon drops<br>Away above the chimney tops  
>That's where you'll find me."<em>

Danny knew the moment Steve let go, could feel it in the stilling of Steve's lungs under his hand, saw it in the way Steve's eyes stopped tracking, stopped focusing. And that's when Danny lost it. He screamed Steve's name, shaking him hard, but there was no response. In the distance he could hear sirens and prayed they would hurry up, prayed Steve would take one more breath. _Just one more breathe, please!_ But Steve's chest didn't rise.

"Chin, Kono! Help me!" Danny pleaded as he struggled under Steve's weight. They laid him out flat in the sand and Danny was instantly by his head. He leaned down, cheek brushing Steve's lips trying in vain to feel a rush of air against his skin, but it was absent. He tilted Steve's head back, pinched off his nose and sealed his lips around Steve's, forcing all the air in his lungs into Steve trying to breathe him back to life. He sucked in another lungful and tried again, watching out of the corner of his eye as Steve's chest rose and fell with Danny's efforts, but never regained the rhythm on his own.

Danny kept breathing for Steve even after he was lightheaded, even after he could hear Kono's sobs and Chin's quiet voice, "He's gone Danny". He used all his strength to do compressions, beating Steve's heart for him, no matter how tired and shaky his arms felt. 15 compressions, 2 breaths, check for pulse and breath, repeat. Danny couldn't give up, even if Steve did. Danny would never give up on Steve.

The red and blue lights of the squad cars bounced off surfaces as they screeched to a halt outside Steve's house, the sirens from the ambulance wailed through the night as it sped down the lane. Even with the arrival of help, Danny still breathed, still pumped Steve's heart, and prayed to whatever deity that would listen to keep Steve with them.

"_Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes_  
><em>And in that land beyond the skies,<em>  
><em>You'll find me<em>  
><em>I'll be a laughing daffodil<em>  
><em>And leave the silly cares that fill<em>  
><em>My mind behind me"<em>

* * *

><p><strong>END PART ONE<strong>

**To Be Continued Shortly  
><strong>

Lyrics used are from the original version of "Over the Rainbow" by E.Y. Harburg**  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**TITLE: **Somewhere, Over the Rainbow

**FANDOM: **Hawaii 5-0

**CHARACTERS: **Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono

**RATING:** R

**WARNING: **language, hurt!Steve, iffy medical knowledge, could be interpreted as Steve/Danny pre-slash

**DISCLAIMER:** I own no rights to the show or the characters. I also do not have a medical degree so some descriptions and accounts may not be entirely factual. I do not own the rights to the lyrics used in this work. This is a work of fiction and is not intended for anything other than entertainment purposes.

**WORD COUNT:** 8,600+ (total); 4,082 for part one; 4,460 for part two

**PROMPT: **#8-Unconscious for the Injuries Prompt Table for 10_hurt_comfort

**SUMMARY: **_After everything, this was not how Steve McGarrett thought it would end._

* * *

><p><strong>PART TWO<strong>

It all happened so fast. One minute Danny was kneeling in the sand, hands pushing furiously against his partner's chest trying to restart his heart, and the next he was being hauled backward by two strong arms. HPD officers had come running around the side of the house guns drawn as they assessed the situation. Two medics pushing a stretcher loaded with equipment rushed over to them and immediately started to assess Steve, short clipped phrases tossed between them.

"Please," Danny begged, struggling against the arms holding him. "He's not breathing. Please, you have to-" His words were choked off by a sob. He leaned forward as far as he could, wrapping both of his hands around Steve's chilled one, latching on and anchoring them both. "Come on, Steve. Stay with me." He whispered as he watched the medics take up CPR.

Danny watched as they hooked a cardiac monitor to Steve's chest; the machine wailed in protest as it produced a flat line. He heard Kono sob behind him, heard Chin whisper a soft prayer as his arms tightened their grip on Danny. But Danny was focused on what the medics were saying, what they were doing.

"Full cardiac arrest, get the defibrillator," one medic barked out as he resumed the compressions.

The second medic grabbed the machine, flipping switches, then grabbing the paddles. "Clear!" he cried out.

Danny dropped Steve's hand and watched in horror as his partner's back arched sharply with the force of the shock. His body flopped limply to the ground and all held their breath as the green line on the monitor jumped then settled back to its flat line. Danny picked Steve's hand back up, squeezing it tight as the medic recharged the machine and resumed CPR.

It took two more shocks before the lines on the monitor kept up a rhythm on their own, before Steve's heart started beating by itself again. It was a slow, irregular rhythm that made them all nervous, but it meant that Steve was still alive, still with them, and that was be enough. But still Steve's chest refused to rise with breath on its own. The one medic kept up a constant squeezing pattern on the ambu bag while the other ripped open packets of tubes. Steve was intubated quickly and an IV bag of fluids started in his left arm before any the medics turned their attention to Danny.

"Sir, do you know what happened to your friend?"

Silence seemed to settle over the bustling yard as everyone paused to hear what had happened to the Commander. Danny glanced around, voice stuck in his throat as he wiped a hand across his face, trying desperately to compose himself. That last few minutes had been terrifying, Steve's life slipping through their fingers so fast, the arrival of help, and the confirmation that, at least for the moment, Steve was alive. He wasn't stable by any means, or out of the woods, but his heart was beating and there was breath filling his lungs. Danny took a deep breath, pulled away from Chin's bruising grip and picked up Steve's hand again, needed the reassurance.

"I don't really know" he confessed. "We found him out here about, I don't know, maybe 15 minutes ago. He was having a hard time breathing and was convulsing on the ground." Danny's voice grew tight with emotion as images swept through his mind. Steve's terrified eyes, his body jerking in the sand, the broken needle sticking out of his skin. "He was attacked, don't know how long before we arrived. He was injected with an unknown substance. Part of the needle is still in his arm, the right one."

The medic moved Steve's arm the slightest, catching sight of the needle and scribbling it down on the clipboard. "Okay, what else can you tell me? What symptoms was he exhibiting when you found him?" The medic watched the three people in front of him, pen poised over paper to take down any useful information.

"He said he couldn't move," Danny murmured, eyes fixed on what he could see of Steve's face. "He was slumped here in the sand. He was having trouble breathing and he was seizing, full body convulsions that lasted a minute or so."

"He was vomiting too" Kono added, voice hoarse with tears and grief.

The medic was about to speak again when a wail from the monitor had him spinning around and assessing the situation. "BP and heart rate are starting to drop," he murmured to the other medic. "We need to move him. Now."

It was all a rush after that. Countless hands moved then, helping secure Steve to the stretcher, hauling the stretcher through the sand and the grass, loading it into the ambulance. And through it all, Danny stayed next to Steve's side, grasping his hand and refusing to let go. Without even asking, Danny climbed up into the ambulance after the medic, only pausing to look out at the numerous officers huddled there, Chin and Kono's worried faces at the forefront of the group. Danny barely had his mouth open to speak when Chin was cutting him off.

"We'll stay here with the crime scene unit, see what evidence we can collect. Stay with Steve. Keep us updated, okay?" Chin closed one of the ambulance doors, hovering in the opening of the second one. His eyes bounced between their unconscious leader on the stretcher and Danny with his frayed nerves and strong grip on his partner.

"Yeah, I will. Let me know what you find, we may need it." Danny croaked out.

With that, the doors were slammed closed and the ambulance sped off toward the hospital.

* * *

><p>The worrying, wandering, and waiting was the hardest part of having a loved one in the ER, Danny realized. Up to that point, he'd done everything he could, he'd held Steve and tried to keep him awake, he'd cleared his airway, and started CPR. He'd held Steve's hand in the ambulance, kept up a continuous stream of words the entire ride to the hospital, and ran with the medics alongside the stretcher when they'd arrived. He'd rattled off every useful piece of information his devastated mind could come up with to the doctor in hopes that something in there would save his partner.<p>

"No he's not allergic to any medication that I know of. Yes, he's been treated in this ER multiple times this year already, nothing more serious than broken bones and concussions though. NO! He does not have a drug or alcohol problem! Who the hell are you to ask that? He's a Navy SEAL of fuck's sake! I don't know what he was given or how long ago, I just know that 15 minutes ago he stopped breathing in my arms and I worked him until the paramedics got there. You need to save him!"

And after all of that, Steve's fate was handed over to a room full of doctors and nurses. He heard orders barked out for blood tests and equipment and drugs, watched the chaos of it all as they transferred Steve, and all the equipment attached to him, over to the hospital gurney. Through it all, Steve never moved; Steve's right hand that Danny had been holding only moments ago hung limply off the side of the bed. Danny ached to reach out and grab it, to ground himself and let Steve know he was still there, that he wasn't giving up on him. Ever. But there was a nurse pushing lightly at Danny's chest. Her lips were moving, her face a soft mask of sympathy, as she guided him out of the room. The door to the treatment room slammed closed with such finality, cut off all sights and sounds of his partner.

"Please Detective Williams, there is nothing more you can do for your partner. You need to let the doctors work. I'll come and get you the minute we know anything, okay?" The nurse's quiet voice urged as she guided him to sit in a chair in the waiting room.

Three hours, going on four, later and Danny was still there, hands locked into a fist between his knees, back bowed slightly as he stared at the doors separating him from Steve. Three hours of radio silence from the doctors, of no news from the team, of listening to moans of pain and wails of distress and the frequent swish of the automatic doors as they opened and closed. He was anxious and ready to start hounding anyone he found for answers. The only thing that kept him still and silent was the fact that he had to hold on to the belief that no news was good news at this point. He'd run through every possible scenario his mind could come up with, Steve dying, Steve with permanent brain damage, Steve walking out of the room in the next five minutes with a shit-eat grin on his face perfectly healthy. But whatever his mind came up with, it all came down to one thing. As long as the doctors were back there, it meant Steve was still alive, it meant they hadn't given up hope and still had something to work on.

It was the near the middle of hour four when the automatic doors swished open revealing Chin and Kono. They looked exhausted and worried, but they both had an air of calmness about them as they walked up to Danny.

"Any news?" Kono asked as she pulled Danny into a hug.

"No, nothing yet." Danny replied, squeezing her back before turning to face Chin, giving him a once over and a quick shoulder squeeze. "They kicked me out of the room but I know they were working on identifying the drug he was given. No word on if they were successful or how Steve's doing though."

"We might be able to help with that," Chin allowed his mouth to curve into a small smile as he held up an evidence bag and a small stack of papers. "We found this down by the water. Kono rushed it to the lab and they determined the liquid inside is Potassium Chloride." At Danny's frown, Chin continued. "It's used medicinally in small doses, but it is also one of three drugs used for lethal injection."

"Oh, shit," Danny whispered. He quickly spun on his heels, headed for the doors to the treatment area, Chin and Kono following close behind. "What have to let the doctor know." His voice trailed off as the door opened abruptly in front of him and a doctor appeared, one Danny recognized from Steve's room. His heart clenched tight, his breath seized in his throat as he met the doctor's gaze.

"Detective Williams?" The woman asked, her voice hesitant.

Danny nodded quietly, frozen in place, afraid that the next words out of her mouth would be platitudes and a death notification. Instead, the tension eased out of her face and she smiled lightly at him.

"I'm Doctor Stone, I've been working on Commander McGarrett since he came in this evening." She held out her hand to the three of them, shaking each one. "I apologize for the delay in informing you about the Commander's well-being, but there wasn't much to report until recently. Come with me and we can discuss this more privately."

She started to usher them through the labyrinth of halls, to where Danny didn't know, but he moved off on his own, headed straight for the treatment room where Steve had been. He nudged open the door and slipped inside, watching as a nurse checked Steve's vitals, recording them in the chart. When she saw him, she gave him a smile and nodded towards the chair next to the bed before she left the room.

Danny looked over his partner, at all the machines, wires, and tubes around him. He was pale under the fluorescent lighting, a hint of bruising on his face and arm, around the injection site. He was clean, free of all the sand, sweat, and vomit from before, a gown and blankets covering his form as he lay there peacefully. He was still intubated, his chest rising and falling with each _whoosh_ of the ventilator. The cardiac monitor on the screen seemed more stable than the last time he'd seen it, the lines moving up and down at a faster pace, steadier than before. It was a lot to take in, but it all meant Steve was alive.

Danny sighed in relief, sitting down on the edge of the mattress to take it all in. He heard the door open and soft footfalls enter the room a minute later, but didn't look up at them, he knew who it would be anyway.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just needed to see him, to see that he was alive still." Danny looked over his shoulder then at Dr. Stone, eyes begging her not to make a fuss.

"I understand completely, Detective. You've all been through a very rough night." She smiled at him and closed the door behind her. "The Commander will be unconscious for a while yet so we can stay here and discuss his care if you would like."

Danny nodded, watching as Chin and Kono came up on the other side of the bed, their gazes running over their leader, taking it all in. Kono picked up Steve's hand, squeezing it lightly while Chin's hand came to rest on Steve's calf. Danny followed Kono's lead, let his fingers curl around Steve's wrist and holding on lightly, just enough to feel the thrum of a pulse under his fingertips.

"As I was saying," the doctor spoke softly again. "We just recently identified the substance in his system."

"Potassium Chloride," Danny provided, his initial rush of urgency to inform them coming back to him. "Kono recovered the syringe and our lab just identified it not long ago."

The doctor nodded. "Yes. It was quite a large dose as well. We had been treating the Commander's symptoms as they cropped up, but once we identified the substance we were able to start on treatment. Currently we have him on a calcium chloride infusion as well as sodium bicarbonate and a dextrose, insulin, and saline drip. Once the meds were administered, we saw an improvement in his vitals, as you can see." She motioned to the monitor above the bed, to Steve's steady heart rate and stable blood pressure. "These unfortunately will not remove the excess potassium in his system. Once he is a little more stable, we will start him on hemodialysis."

"Is he breathing on his own?" Danny asked quietly, eyes locked on the tube helping Steve breath.

"No, not yet." The doctor's voice was apologetic. "We aren't worried about that just yet though. One of the effects of Potassium Chloride poisoning is ascending paralysis. Basically, he's temporarily paralyzed. That's why he stopped breathing and why he's not breathing on his own yet, his respiratory muscles are still paralyzed. That should abate completely within the next 12 to 24 hours.

"We're admitting him to ICU for the next 48 hours so we can keep an eye on his vitals and watch for any secondary problems related to the poisoning. We need to keep an eye on his electrolyte balance and any gastrointestinal problems that may arise. The Commander is an extremely healthy individual so I expect his recovery to go well. It's just a precaution though." The doctor trailed off, gaze moving from her patient to the three officers standing guard over his bed. "I'll give you some time alone while we wait for a bed. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."

The door swung closed behind the doctor but no one in the room moved from their vigil of their leader.

* * *

><p>It was just after midnight when a nurse came in and told them they needed to clear out. They all grumbled but bade Steve a quiet goodbye as they moved out of the way.<p>

"We're moving him up to ICU now. Visiting hours don't start until 8am. You can come back then. Go home and get some rest," she chastised them lightly as she unhooked monitors and got Steve ready to be transferred.

Grudgingly, they complied. Danny hailed a cab and waved a goodbye to Chin and Kono as they made their way through the parking lot. Halfway to his apartment, Danny realized that was the last place he wanted to be and redirected the cab driver to HQ. Danny left him a generous tip as he crawled out of the back of the cab and stumbled his way into the offices.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he scanned all the evidence that had been recovered, which wasn't all that much considering. He flicked through the documents on the main computer, checking for any new information that he hoped may have come in while they were at the hospital. Danny was sorely disappointed to find that wasn't the case; no new information arrived yet. The lab had recovered some prints, mostly partials and smudges, from the syringe. They were being run through the system but nothing had been identified yet. There were a few eye witness accounts of a person fleeing down the beach, one neighbor remembered seeing a young woman loitering around Steve's an hour before the attack, but none of them gave a good enough description for a sketch. Nothing had been touched in the house or out on the lanai it seemed. The only other piece of usable evidence recovered was a few shoe impressions too small to be Steve's found near the bushes on the property line.

Danny yawned as he closed the file on the computer and made his way into his office. He stretched out on the couch, with the intent of catching a few hours of sleep until something new about the case came in. He pulled out his cell phone intending to set his alarm, but fell fast asleep before he could.

* * *

><p>The sun was shining bright in through his office window when Danny opened his eyes again. He groaned, stretching his body out and rubbing his tired eyes. It took quite a bit of effort to haul himself upright, but when he did, he glanced around and caught sight of Chin and Kono out by the computers. Danny stood, body protesting, and glanced at the clock. 8:16 am.<p>

"What the hell?" Danny hissed as he headed out of his office, fully intending to give the two cousins and earful for not waking him up. But before he could, Chin held out a placating hand, effectively cutting off the stream of words.

"Before you ask, we already stopped by the hospital. Dr. Stone told us to come back a little later. Steve had a bit of a rough night. Plus, they have some tests planned for this morning." Chin looked tired, a bit haggard around the edges, as he spoke, but his voice was calm and steady.

"What do you mean 'rough night'?" Danny asked, worry creeping into his voice.

It was Kono who answered this time, sparing her cousin from another round with the Williams glare. "His vitals were a little unstable, his heart rate and blood pressure fluctuating, but they are more stable now. It wasn't unexpected; Dr. Stone did say they would need to keep an eye on him for the next few hours for any other problems. She's not worried though and the tests are just precautionary." Kono laid a hand on Danny's arm then slid a cup of coffee and a bag towards him. "Eat some breakfast, Danny. Then go get changed. We have a few new leads on the case." She said with renewed vigor.

For once, Danny did as he was told.

* * *

><p>"Her name is Mei Ch'ang. Her prints were recovered from the syringe, along with a few partials belonging to Steve." Kono informed Danny over the phone. "She's in the system for breaking and entering, and aggravated assault last year. HPD just picked her up at a free clinic downtown. She was there having her broken wrist attended to."<p>

Danny could hear her smirk through the phone as he paced the small hospital room. "She talking yet?" he asked, anger burning deep in his gut.

"No, won't say a word." Chin replied. "We can't find any connection to Steve, but we're pulling up her financials now."

"You think she was hired?" Danny asked, finger nails biting into his palm as he squeezed his fist tighter in an effort not to lash out at the wall.

"Could be. It might take a while to unravel, but we'll get to the bottom of it." Chin answered, pausing slightly. Danny could almost picture him glancing over at Kono, speaking without saying a word.

"How's the boss doing?" Kono's voice asked a moment later. Yep, definitely doing the family telepathy then, Danny smirked to himself.

He glanced over at the bed where Steve was lying. An hour ago a nurse had come in and hooked Steve up to the dialysis machine. He now had two more large tubes that were running out of his right arm, moving his blood in and out. They had ex-tubated him earlier and only a nasal cannula remained in place to support his breathing. Given everything that had happened less than 24 hours ago, Steve looked to be doing pretty damn well. He still hadn't woken up fully, but he had started to open his eyes and make purposeful movements. Dr. Stone told him it wouldn't be long before Steve regained full consciousness, but for now he was still and quiet.

"He's doing good. They started him on dialysis an hour ago. It'll take a few hours, but they said he's already turning a corner." Danny answered, voice soft as he resumed his place in the chair next to Steve's bed.

"That's good news!" Kono's voice was chipper as it came across the line again.

"Definitely good to hear," Chin's voice was more sober than his cousin's, but Danny could detect a hint of a smile there. "We're taking Ch'ang over for booking and then we'll be up. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good," Danny replied. "Thanks though."

"No problem, we'll see you soon."

Danny ended the call and slipped the phone back in his pocket before turning his eyes back to McGarrett. This time though, instead of seeing Steve's eyes closed, he was looking into half-lidded blue eyes. A smile automatically broke out on his face as he leaned forward, hand coming to rest lightly on Steve's left arm.

"Hey, Steve. How're you feeling?" Danny asked quietly, eyes searching every inch of his friend's face for pain or discomfort but thankfully found none.

"Danny," he breathed out, voice rough from the abuse his throat had taken over the last day. He grimaced as the words came out, frowning in confusion at his partner.

Danny eased Steve's head up slightly, bringing a cup of water to his lips. Steve sipped gingerly at the lukewarm liquid, managing only a small amount before he sank back into the pillows.

"What happened?" Steve asked, words managing to come out a little smoother this time.

"What do you remember?" Danny urged, wanting to know how much recall his partner had of his ordeal. There was still a lot they didn't know about the attack and he was curious to see if Steve would be able to recollect enough to identify his attacker.

Steve's brow furrowed for a moment before he looked down at his right arm, to the red and swollen injection site. "I was attacked. Drugged." He breathed out. His eyes moved back to Danny's face. "I couldn't move my body, was feeling so sick and was so tired. Then you were there."

Danny nodded along, internally grimacing at how worn out Steve sounded, how unlike their Super SEAL leader he'd come to expect. He guessed he shouldn't have been surprised though, Steve was still recovering after all.

"Yeah, Chin, Kono, and I found you out back in the sand and called for backup." Danny supplied.

Steve nodded his head, face creasing in thought as he tried to speak again. "Did you find 'em?"

Danny smiled at his partner, nodding his head in affirmation. "Yeah, we did. The lab pulled prints off the syringe and got a match. Mei Ch'ang. She was in the system with some priors. Chin and Kono booked her but she's not talking." Danny watched as Steve's face grew even more pensive, mind trying to pull together a clear picture of what had happened. He'd done much the same earlier that afternoon and was frustrated with the holes they still had, and he was thinking clearly. He couldn't imagine how Steve must be feeling, mind still hazy from the drugs and trauma.

"Don't worry, we're on it," he placated. Danny cast a gentle smile in Steve's direction and tried to steer the conversation a different direction. "Is there anything else you can remember?"

Steve's face curved down into a frown again as he searched his murky thoughts for more information. "I remember … the stars, looking up at them and … a lullaby?" He looked at Danny for help, but Danny just shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what his partner was talking about. "Yeah, it was a lullaby my mom used to sing to me when I was little. 'Over The Rainbow'. I remember hearing her voice singing it," he breathed, the tension easing out of his face again at the thoughts of his mother. "I felt so … peaceful." He murmured, eyes closing.

"Yeah, we thought we lost you," Danny whispered to himself, but Steve heard it and snapped his eyes back open. Danny swallowed thickly, keeping his gaze steady on Steve as he spoke again. "You stopped breathing before the medics got there. I-" Danny's voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again, "I performed CPR for a few minutes until the medics got there and took over." His voice was barely a whisper but it carried through the otherwise silent room.

"He saved your life, boss." Kono's voice sounded from the doorway startling both men. Chin and Kono moved into the room, coming closer to Steve, squeezing his hand and smiling down at him in relief.

Steve nodded at the cousins, then moved his attention back to Danny. He could read all the emotions there in the man's eyes, all the things Danny was not saying. _I was terrified, it was too much, I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, don't ever do that to me again._ Steve moved his hand just the slightest so he could capture Danny's hand in his own, giving it a small squeeze as he tried to convey his own thoughts. _Thank you for saving my life. I'm sorry I put you through that, I never wanted to hurt you_.

Danny's eyes looked suspiciously red, but Steve was sure his looked the same when their gazes broke apart. Danny cleared his throat, a sarcastic smirk drifting over his features as he leaned back in the chair. "Yeah well, I wasn't ready to transfer back to HPD just yet anyway."

Chin and Kono laughed along with him, not mentioning how his chuckle sounded slightly strained. Steve's face morphed into a soft smile even as exhaustion took over once again and lulled him quietly into the darkness. He knew his team would be there when he awoke. They always were.

* * *

><p><strong>END.<strong>

**Author's Note: **First, a HUGE thank you again to my beta extraordinaire jamiesdream, whose comments and advice always push me to improve my writing. Love you darling! *hugs*

Secondly, I am not a doctor, nurse, or a chemist. And while I have done a great deal of research on this particular poison, its effects on the body, treatments, etc. some of this information may not be entirely factual. I took some liberties with the information and twisted them to my own liking, but it should still be fairly true to life.

Thank you call for reading and for your wonderful comments. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so far and hope this last part lives up to your expectations. Please feel free to leave a comment; they are the light of my day reading them. Thanks again!


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